Richard Grayson (Earth-Two)
Real Name: Richard "Dick" Grayson Nicknames: "Dicky" Grayson as child Former Aliases: many disguises and aliases as part of his detective work Other Current Aliases: None Status Occupation: None Former Lawyer; Former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Earth-Two; Former childhood aeralist and circus performer Legal Status: Deceased (Pre-Crisis) citizen of the United States of Earth-Two with no known criminal record in the United States Identity: Secret Marital Status: single Group Affiliation: Justice Society of America of Earth-Two; All-Star Squadron; Partner of Helena Wayne as Huntress; Former Partner of Batman I Base of Operations: mostly Gotham City on Earth-Two Origin Richard "Dick" Grayson was born to circus aerlists John and Mary Grayson. Dick Grayson joined his parents in their trapeze act, the Flying Graysons, which was part of the small traveling Haly Circus. Under pressure to pay protection money to a local mobster, "Boss" Zucco, the circus owners refused. Enraged, Zucco decided to intimidate the circus owners by killing their most successful act, the Flying Graysons. Zucco had the trapeze and safety nets cut which killed John and Mary Grayson Millionare playboy Bruce Wayne was in the audience and watched the Grayson's death happen. Some later versions state Wayne was investigating Zucco activities at the circus but was unaware of the extent Zucco was already involved. Grayson blamed the deaths on Zucco from conversations he overheard. Wayne recognized a similar tragedy in his own earlier life and decided to take Grayson in. Deciding to channel Grayson rage and grief into action, and partially protect Grayson from Zucco, Wayne began training Grayson in further more extensive acrobats and fighting techniques. When Wayne felt Grayson was ready to use his skills, Wayne gave him the costumed identity of Robin, the Boy Wonder Detective Comics #38. Place of Birth: Exact locale on Earth-Two not specified Place of Death: Gotham City on New Earth Known Relatives: John and Mary Grayson (parents, deceased); George Grayson (uncle, presumed dead due to old age); Charles Grayson (Robotman of Earth-Two, cousin, presumed dead due to the destruction of Earth-Two in the Crisis); Bruce Wayne (Legal Guardian when Grayson was minor, deceased) First Appearance: Historic: ''Detective Comics'' #38 (1940) in canon as Earth-Two Robin: ''Justice League of America'' (Volume 1) #55 Final Appearance: Death shown in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #12 History As Robin, the junior partner of Batman, Grayson would fight against many powerful villians including the Joker, Penguin, Two-Face (Harvey KENT where the Earth-One incarnation was named DENT) Basil Karlo the first Clayface Detective Comics #40 and various others. As Grayson became older, he face his own villians including No-Face Star-Spangled Comics #66 and several others including several of the earlier Batman rogues. Grayson would continue as Batman's partner until Wayne retired from the role despite gaps such as when Grayson left for college. Later Life As Dick Grayson, he became a full partner in the law firm of Cranston and Grayson (later Cranston, Grayson and Wayne upon Bruce's daughter Helena joining). It was as the prominent lawyer that Grayson became elected to serve as Ambassador for the United States to South Africa in the late 1970s. Grayson would continue to be active as Robin for most of the intervening years. After the death of Bruce Wayne, Grayson reconsiders his earlier decision and thinks to re-adopt the Batman II role but Helena convinces him not to do so. "There was only one man who could be the Batman, Dick, and my father is dead. We can carry on his work-you as Robin, me as the Huntress…but the Batman is dead. Only legends live forever…not the men who make them." Adventure Comics #463 Grayson would resume the identity of Batman II in one known against the Earth-Two Joker who resumed his rampage upon hearing of the death of Batman I (Wayne). Grayson assumed the role of Batman without indicating that he was not the original. Wonder Woman vol.1 #283. After that Earth-Two Joker case, Grayson completely retired from the Batman role, preferring to remain only in the role of Robin. Grayson's original feelings against successors to the Batman role would resurface when the Batman of Earth-One came to Earth-Two and Grayson would express his feelings of failing in the role of successor and against anyone else being Batman for the first time (Brave & the Bold 182). But Grayson later came to accept the Earth-One Batman as his own person rather than as immitation of his long-dead friend. On many occasions Grayson performed as the senior partner of the new "Dynamic Duo" which consisted of himself and Wayne's daughter Helena in her role as the Huntress, as well as alone. He would continue on as Robin until the Crisis on Infinite Earths came to Earth-Two. Robin in his role as attorney Dick Grayson prosecuted a case against the Justice Society of America, based on a diary written by Batman prior to his demise, indicating that the team were corroborators with the Nazi regime. During the legal proceedings, his opponent in the court room was Helena, who defended the team. Grayson later learned that the diary pointed towards a plot by the time travelling villain Per Degaton, and thwarted him prior to Degaton's suicide. America versus the Justice Society #1-4 The Earth-Two Robin and Huntress both took part in several battles of the Crisis on Infinite Earths and joined the battle at the "Dawn of Time" against the Anti-Monitor and were thus saved from annihilation when history of the multiverse was destroyed leaving only the singular new Primary Earth and their own history and Earth-Two was wiped out of existence. During one of the last battles of the Crisis confronting the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons whose mere touch could destroy positive matter attacked, trapping the Huntress under rubble from a collapsed building. The Earth-Two Robin went to her rescue while Kole of the Teen Titans erected a crystal dome to protect them. The effort failed and all three were reduced to ash. The Batman of Earth-One, Mary Marvel, and Jason Todd found the remains. Characteristics Height: 5' 10" Weight: 187 lbs (xxx kg) Eyes: blue Hair: black Unusual Features: graying hair at temples at time of death Powers Known Powers: No known superhuman powers. Known Abilities: brillant athlete and acrobat; master of many forms of hand-to-hand physical combat as well as weapontry; superb reasoning and deductive ability; mastery of many advanced forms of disguises and acting. Strength Level: advanced human strength beyond most atheletes though technically not superhuman Miscellaneous Equipment: various small hand to hand devices usually carried in his utility belts and assembled into his costume directly such as a cape that allowed him to glide vast distances Transportation: various devices most notably the Batmobile and Batcycles as well as other "bat" named vehicles; swinging under own power via grappling hooks in locale areas Weapons: Various. His most notable offensive were batarangs, though he did use various explosive devices Notes :The history of the Earth-Two Robin is similar to his counterpart on Earth-1 in many respects. Both were orphaned when gangster killed their parents. Both were taken in by their respective Bruce Wayne after the intentional murder of their parents. Both learned Wayne's secret identity and were trained to become Batman's junior partner in the crimefighting team of the Dynamic Duo on their respective Earths. :The most notable differences between the Earth-Two Robin and his later counterparts was that the Robin of Earth-Two was active in the 1930s and 40s and started as Robin at only eight years old rather than his early teens as the Earth-One incarnation did. The Earth-Two Grayson and Batman were part of the formation of the Earth-Two Justice Society, as indicated in All Star Comics issue #3 (Winter 1940/41) where the first meeting of the Justice Society is held and place cards are set for Superman (Kal-L) Batman AND Robin who would all decline full membership though would occasionally participate in the World War 2 reformation of the group known as the All-Star Squadron. The Earth-One Robin was never asked to be part of the Justice League which caused him to create the Teen Titans on Earth-One. Like the Earth-One Batman, the Earth-Two Wayne never adopted Grayson possibly due to the fact that he later married his one time enemy Catwoman with whom he would have his own child, daughter Helena who would later adopt the identity of Huntress though the Modern Era Batman did adopt both Grayson and later Drake as his sons. :Robin of Earth-Two was not comfortable in the role of successor to Wayne as Batman II feeling ultimately that only Wayne should be Batman. This was different from the Robin who was partner to Batman Sr. father of Batman Jr (the "Super-Sons") who openly fought with Bruce Wayne Jr. to see who would become the next Batman. The current reality Nightwing also accepted the role of successor to Batman and actively assumed the role of Batman when Wayne's back was broken by Bane. Grayson was initially reluctant to give the role back to the recovered Wayne (Prodical Son saga). Trivia * Earth-Two Robin appears on the cover of and in a flashback in Infinite Crisis #3 Recommended Readings * Detective Comics and Batman in the 1930s and 40s * Crisis on Infinite Earths Related Articles *Robin (Earth-Two) appearance list External Links * References * ---- Category:American Category:Apocryphal Characters Category:Deceased Characters Category:Good Characters Category:Secret Identity Category:Single Characters Category:Black Hair Category:Batman Family members Category:Justice Society of America members Category:Sidekicks Category:Golden Age Category:Silver Age Category:Earth-Two Characters